Bay of Plenty river death: Rāhui placed on section of Rangitaiki River

The Rangitaiki River, part of which has been placed under a rāhui after a death. Photo / NZ Herald

A rāhui is in place along a section of the Rangitaiki River in the Bay of Plenty after a person died.

Te Rūnanga O Ngāti Manawa advised of the rāhui on a social media post yesterday.

“Please respect our kaumātua’s decision to impose this rāhui along our river. The rahui is in place from now until the 9th Dec from the old bridge to Lake Aniwhenua,” the post read.

“Please make our tamariki aware of what a rāhui is and to please stay away from the river at this time.”

The rūnanga also shared a message from community leader Pem Bird.

Bird’s post said a person “passed away suddenly in the Rangitaiki River this afternoon”.

“The area in the Rangitaiki River will result in the tikanga (custom) of rāhui being placed on the river covering a two-week time period,” the post read.

“The rāhui will result in a prohibition of all activity in the water including swimming, fishing, eeling out of respect for the deceased from November 26-December 9, 2023.

“We thank you for your co-operation and understanding.”

A rāhui is a form of tapu, restricting access to, or use of, an area or resource by the kaitiakitanga of the area.